Arriving on a bus from Glastonbury, and stayed one night with Gina on Windmill Hill, in Bristol. It took bit longer than expected to get there! Was up late as chatting and gave her Lemurian Healing. It was very cool old house, complete with creaky floorboards. Even though I was being as quiet as a field mouse, I may have woken up her flatmate. As it was an early bird walk to the bus stop in Bristol.

Edinburgh

At 6.20 am, I was on the Megabus to Manchester, another to Glasgow. My old Scottish pal Gil, was there to meet me at St Andrews bus station at 7 pm. I hadn’t seen Gil for fifteen year, and it was wonderful to see her again. And like it is with certain friends, even though a lot of time had passed, it felt like only yesterday. She shared a flat with her partner Colin. We had a lovely meal of Tapas. I stayed for one night.

The next morning it was an early bus to Waverley Station for a train to Glasgow. Then another train arriving in Oban around 2 pm. I enjoyed eating some food sitting by the water and waited for the ferry. I had brought my ticket to Iona, its a double ferry booking. First, there is a ferry ride to Mull. Then it’s a lovely bus through the scenery of the island. Finally, you take the ferry to Iona.

Iona

I met John on the bus, an Irishman living in Boston. It was a short ride over. I met two women who had also read the book ‘Anna, Grandmother of Jesus’. Inspired, they were on their way to Iona. This book had also inspired my return to Glastonbury. They were keen to hear about Glastonbury as were also heading there.

The hostel was on the North side of the island, near a beach, I found my way there.

I was guided to a few spots outside on Iona, and also spent time in the churches. Enjoyed the acoustics in the churches singing when no one was about. Some of the days were chilly. A song kept coming to me when I was there, which I recorded later.

Tobermory

I went to Mull on the way back. I hadn’t planned to, but I ended up staying there a night at the backpackers at Tobermory. As met a fellow traveller, and we travelled with a couple straight off the ferry from Iona. There was a Gaelic singing event on in the town that night. I went along and enjoyed listening to different groups singing. The ladies on the door let me sneak into the ceilidh for a quick dance. Afterward, I retreated back to the hostel completely knackered. Really enjoyed the art gallery there on Tobermory, and watching the boats over the sea, a magic place.

Baliscate

I went on a day walk to Standing Stones, Balliscate, after finding out about it from visiting Mull Museum. It is not far from town. You will find three standing stones of basalt here. They have been erected in moorland 390 m SW of Balliscate. I followed the map from the museum, through gates on farmland. I spend some time with these stones. The northern stone, is 1.7 m in height, a straight-sided monolith with a flattish top.

The stones have stood there for over 3000 years. They were erected during the Bronze Age. A dig in 2004 found fragments of quartz, which are a common find on ritual sites. There is also the remains an early Christian chapel nearby, the footings of a stone structure. The earliest chapel built there may date back to the time of St Columba of Iona in the 6th Century. The Time Team excavated the site in 2009. They suggested that it might lie at the heart of a monastic community.

Edinburgh

Back to Edinburgh, where I stayed again with Gillian and Colin, whom are both Printmakers. Gil was the screen printing technician at the Edinburgh Printmaking studios, where I had met her. I had lived in this town for four years in my late twenties. This was the first time I had been back.

I rested at Gills. And one day bussed into town, to wander and gander around the magical city. It was a trip down memory lane, spending time in the meadows. To feel the magic again, when you sit on a seat in Princes St gardens. And gaze up at the Old Town and the Edinburgh Castle. The city that had stolen my heart and kept me there for a good while.

Rosslyn Chapel

I was wanting to go to Rosslyn Chapel, it was not far from Gil’s flat. She was keen to go too, so we went out for lunch first. I had been there once before, on my last day of living in Edinburgh. On that day, I was advised by someone there to stand in a certain spot. And so I stood there, and felt a surge of energy through me. I had never felt this before, so came as a surprise. This was the first time I had felt a current. I was curious to find it again, and so I asked a staff member, whom showed me the hot spot. I didn’t feel it quite the same, but stood there all the while.

The chapel was founded in 1446, when it was begun to be built. It is full of intriguing carvings. There are carvings of plants too, like Aloe Vera, which grows in hotter places than there in bonny Scotland. There are panels which portray the seven deadly sins. It is also renowned for its many carvings of the Green Man, representing natures growth. As well as the birth of Christ,

The carvings everywhere in the chapel are elaborate, and it seems to be full of stories and depictions. There is even an angel playing bagpipes, celebrating Christs birth. There are many carvings in the chapel representing Masonic associations. And a symbol used by the Knights Templar, another of the many references to Christ, the lamb of god. Whose aim was to protect the pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land during the Crusades. There is a crypt, which is the oldest part of the chapel.

Gil and I had a nice time, and she help me bury one of the pearls in the garden. And she didn’t mind that I did some LL, for the ceremony, it seemed natural to her.

Manchester

13 Sept, it was saying goodbye to Gil, and an early bus to Glasgow, to get my ears suctioned. Then a Mega bus to Manchester, arriving at 5.30 pm. As was going to stay with Linda Paris, whom lived towards Altrincham.

It was like Armageddon when I arrived, with really heavy rain and large thunderstorms. The skies had opened, and I had never seen anything like it. The trams were stuck. It was a dark night, I asked a youngster for directions to the buses. Thank goodness, he said, ‘I’m going that way, so I will show you’. I found the bus, in the sideways rain, and arrived. I had not seen Linda since 2011, when we walked through the jungles of Guatemala together. We caught up if ever briefly, and I gave her a brief Lemurian Healing to say thank you.

14 September, in the morning, met a man at the stop, whom shared his taxi for free into town. My lucky stars were with me, getting to the Mega bus stop. As there was still an upheaval of transport from the rains the night before. Turns out he was a fellow print maker, and so we nattered about art and printmaking. Then got to the 9.20 am bus to Bristol, arriving at 1.45 pm. From there it was back in to Glastonbury to meet up with a friend Ian.

16 September, a few days later, I was heading to Iceland, on my way back to New Zealand.